Memories of Him
by Mischief-Managed167
Summary: Ginny can't forget, no matter what. But a visit to Hogwarts long after the final battle brings back some painful memories, memories of Him.


**Memories of Him**

Ginny braced herself and finally pushed through the worn iron gates of Hogwarts. The once-emerald carpet of grass was left parched and brown, the vast ground deserted. She strode purposefully across the lawn, trying not to look at the crushed remnants of Hagrid's hut. Ginny glanced up again, to see the sight of Hogwarts castle. It had once looked so inviting and comforting; it was once her second home. Now, however, it looked cold, empty, and forbidding, after being deserted for twenty years. She walked around the lake, which had remained unchanged. She glanced down into it and saw herself reflected. She flinched, hardly recognizing herself; her red hair was lank, her face pale, her eyes dull. She had once laughed easily, and made jokes. Nowadays, she hardly ever laughed… ever since the battle, when he died… _"Don't think about him…"_ Ginny told herself silently. But automatically, she turned to a stump beside the lake. She cautiously approached the charred stump, as if it was a poisonous snake, and stared at it with wide eyes. Her mind raced with all the memories this place held… memories of him… happy memories…

She remembered how he'd held her under that beech tree; how he'd whispered in her ear that he loved her. She remembered the many students around them, laughing, running, or relaxing. But he and she were always oblivious, wrapped up in each other's emotions. She recalled exactly the feeling of looking up into his emerald eyes, where there was always an endless supply of tenderness. When he gathered her into the fortress of his arms, she had always felt like she was the safest person in the entire world. She remembered how when she couldn't reach all the way up to a branch, he'd held her feet and lifted her up easily while she shrieked in protest. He'd looked back at her with a teasing expression and a devilish glint in his eyes. She remembered every detail of his face; the almond shaped green eyes, the long nose, the untidy hair, and his crooked smile. It was that smile, the one that had stolen her heart from the beginning, the one that always took her breath away. She remembered that sunlit day at the Burrow, the site of Bill and Fleur's wedding. She remembered how handsome he'd looked in the dark dress robes. When she'd look towards him, his lips would curve in a soft smile, and he'd give her a small wink, making her mind scream, "I love you" so loudly that she'd thought for a moment that she'd said it out loud. Ginny let her mind wander again. She recollected with painful ease their kiss under that tree. It was twilight, with the last few rays of the sun slowly dwindling away. He'd carefully brushed her long red hair away from her cheeks and held her face in his hands and kissed her. It was a sensation that she couldn't ever forget.

Then there was the battle. Voldemort and his forces had finally broken through to Hogwarts and were swarming all over the grounds. Ginny remembered her brother's last haunting cry to rally everyone as he was stuck down by a death eater. She gave a cry of anger and loss as she ran towards him, but she was forced to duck as a green light flew over her head. She attempted to get to her feet again, but was shoved back down to earth. She smelled Fenrir Greyback's foul breath as he leaned over her and grinned evilly. She ducked down, but suddenly felt his weight vanish as he came up behind Greyback, with a face full of fury. She saw a flash of green light, and Greyback was sprawled out on the ground, dead. She flashed him a grateful smile and hurried back to battle. All of a sudden, an eerie silence fell over the scene. He and Voldemort were face to face at last. Each looked the other over with a face full of pure hatred. Not needing wands, they both preformed immensely complex curses and sent them towards the other. They whirled, ducked, dodged, nearly dancing with the speed of the curses being hurtled around. Then, it happened. As if in slow motion, two curses plunged towards each other, and found their mark. Voldemort, with all his horcruxes having been destroyed, saw the flash of green light he'd preformed on so many people and crumpled to the floor. But Ginny only had eyes for him. She heard a terrible scream of warning, and realized that it had come from her. The green light hit him straight in the chest, and jolted him backwards, making him land with a thump on the carpet of grass. The look of triumph still had not quite faded from his face. Almost simultaneously, a bolt of lightning struck that beech tree, and it fell with a crash on top of Hagrid's hut, burning it slowly to the ground. The few Death Eaters left let out an unnatural wailing noise as they realized that their master had fallen and fled the scene. People were slowly walking towards the bodies on the ground, trying to figure out if anyone they knew was dead. No one seemed to realize that he was dead.

In the silent aftermath of the battle, Ginny walked shakily towards him. "No… no… not him… please…" But even as she approached his still form, she knew the inevitable. He was gone. His emerald eyes were still open, but dull and glassy, in complete contrast to his usual lively self. She knelt down to hold his cold hands and kissed him on his icy lips. Grief finally overcame her, and she collapsed onto his chest, sobbing out what little heart she had left.

Ginny closed her eyes in pain at these cruel memories, and a single tear trailed delicately down her face to splash onto the charred surface of the stump. She realized that she had been kneeling, and she got stiffly up, trying to brace herself on wobbly legs. "I miss you, Harry," she whispered painfully, tears spilling down her face again. "I need you." She finally turned to walk away from the site. She didn't see the pale form glistening in the mist, with glasses askew, jet black hair untidy, and a crooked smile as she left the grounds. When she turned back for one last look, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and a familiar voice breathed in her ear, "I'll never leave you, Gin."


End file.
